Henan Volunteers: Visiting Brother Niu

​According to their motto - “Love, truth, and service to community” - Xingyang Volunteer Federation works to enhance people’s sense of social responsibility through providing them various volunteer opportunities.The office is in Xingyang, Henan province.
 
On May 8th, 2016, we arrived at Brother Niu’s home, to visit and help him out.
 
Brother Niu (Full Name: Niu Guo Chang) had his legs amputated 30 years ago because his family did not have the money to receive other treatment options for his disease. He’s been using his two hands to drag himself around. When he heard we were visiting, he was so happy that he walked down the slope he lives on. Actually, it wasn’t walking; he was crawling and dragging himself. We saw that he only had rubber from tire tubes to protect what remains of his legs. Because there isn’t any air circulation using rubber, his legs get infected and leak pus. After struggling so hard to sit up inside his house, he started crying and describing his hardships. He showed us his hands.

We all stiffened when we saw his hands. What had happened to his hands? His hands weren’t complete, full-grown hands and were varying in length. His fingers were severely damaged from abrasion. It was a sight that broke our hearts. We heard that he had even contemplated suicide because he didn’t see any hope left. He really needs care from others.

Brother Niu has been using his two hands to drag himself around

Brother Niu's hands

Brother Niu received money donated by a volunteer

A year ago, he was hospitalized once in the county hospital, twice in a provincial hospital, and twice in the second hospital. The costs totaled to 20,000 Yuan RMB, which he painfully dragged himself around to each family to borrow. At the end of April, he got edema on his body and face so he bought some medicine. On May 4th, his conditioned worsened so he visited a hospital. But because he had no money, he was forced to return home. His liver, gall bladder, and kidney had pathological changes; there was an excess of peritoneal fluid. His life was on the line.
 
Brother Niu has to cook and take care of big brother Niu Yong Chang who has strokes and hemiplegia.
 
His younger brother--Niu Guo Qiang has a steel nail in his waist from surgery that hasn’t been removed yet, so he can’t do any heavy labor. He usually does light work close by to earn money and just barely take care of his wife and child. Because both his older brothers are sick and also poor, we financially support Niu Guo Qiang’s child’s education. His wife is very nice and always helps his husband’s two older brothers.
 
During the interview, a volunteer saw the terrible surroundings Brother Niu was living in and began to cry. He then gave all the money he had on him to second brother Niu.
 
A doctor reviewed Brother Niu’s medical records and concluded that his medical situation was very dangerous. Friends, let us work together to send Brother Niu our love and care, even if it’s just one sentence to see if he’s doing alright.
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Original article written by Chunli Liu, translated by Michael Chau, edited by Yanyan Zhang

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